The righteousness that the verse is talking about here is having a right standing before God. During the time of Jesus, the religious leaders were using good performance to be accepted by God. They would pray in the street, give an offering to God in public, fulfill their religious duties in the temple, and obey the law of God. However, God did not accept all their good works, for good works were not enough to be accepted by God. God does not accept us because of our good works, but God accepts us because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God puts His righteousness in us; thus, we are filled with His righteousness. The apostle Paul said this, "...and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." (Philippians 3:9). God is the source of our righteousness. If we want to be accepted by God, we need to be righteous, but to be righteous, we need to have the righteousness of God in us. And to receive the righteousness of God, we need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we receive the righteousness of God, God continues to change our hearts and helps us to do good.
If we are longing (hunger and thirst) to be right before God, our good works will not be enough. Only through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that we can have the proper standing before God. Jesus said, "Blessed (happy) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled."
Ask yourself these questions: Can I be accepted by God by my good works? How can I be righteous before God?
Write down all the worries that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for accepting me not because of my good works but by my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for making me righteous and changing my heart so that I can do good. Please continue to change me to be the person that you want me to be. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.